For Musicians Only--What was the first song you learned

[Bogeyfire]

My sister taught me "Blowing in the Wind" a la Peter Paul & Mary. Next I tackled John Denver's "Country Road" and S&G's "The Boxer".

[Cajun Pig]

CCR - Bad Moon a risin'

[mcdtj]

Had my first guitar lesson in seventh grade. The instructor, Mrs. Tomko, had me playing quarter notes on the open E and B strings while she played chords behind it. It wasn't a "real" song, but it was a start.

I'm thinking that the first rock and roll song she taught me was one of those 50's do-wop numbers with a G-Em-Am-D run, but the coolest thing I remember was learning and playing "Satisfaction" with some guys who were older and better players than I was. That was fun.

[ctlegend]

I could not call myself a musician, but I dabble on the guitar...

1st song(s) when I took lessons years ago, Jingle Bells & Camptown Races

1st hip song, Find the Cost of Freedom by CSN&Y (self taught)

[studiogirl]

I think it was probably "Twinkle Twinkle, Little Star" -- here I am playing it (or SOMEthing) at my grandmother's house when I was four years old. (Nice bathrobe, eh?)








A few years later when I was 11, I started teaching myself guitar chords from a chart. The esteemed 2-chord song "Tom Dooley" was my living room debut.

From there anything on the pop/rock or country charts was fair game. I annoyed the heck out of my mom in the summer of 1962 when I learned a bunch of Hank Williams songs.

[greggroyce]

As far as the first song I attemped to learn after getting my first guitar in the early 70's
was "I'm your Captain" by Grand Funk Railroad..loved that intro run down with the open D string while playing the G string along with D chord hammer on and off's.

But the first song I actually learned from the begining to the end singing the lyrics from memory was "Looking for a Lady"
by Dan Fogelberg.

I must have had an affection for the D chord back then.. LOL!
And the rest is history.

[aceinoc]

Another good one Major!

First song I learned to play on a guitar was 'Catch the Wind' by Donovan. Arte showed me the chords...every once in a blue moon I still play it...C, F, G and Am and D...big stuff back then!

[pocomann]

How about the song I should be learning now? In my case that would have to be "Old Folks Boogie" because what you are asking was way more than 5 minutes ago1

6 years old taking piano lessons, it probably Twinkle Twinkle, but it's kind of foggy. No wait, I'm confusing my son's Susuki piano lessons with mine. Truthfully I only remember that I loved music but hated the piano lessons. I wanted to learn trumpet like my big brother.

Had to wait till 7th grade for Trumpet. First song was probably something like the Notre Dame fight song -- still kind of foggey though.

Eight grade I switched to French Horn. Fist song was likely something like the Merry Widow's Waltz or Santa Lucia -- very foggy.

Sophomore in HS got a guitar -- big time John Stewart and Kingston Trio fan, so it had to be something like Greenback Dollar -- later that year I got my first bass, a German made Framus. Bill Wyman played a Famus so I learned Have Mercy, which was probably one of the first songs my first real band that actually played gigs performed.
We did all the easy stuff. 1/3 Kinks, 1/3 Stones, and 1/3 everything else.

Then I got my first Fender J-Bass and instantly became another Leo Lyons (TYA) playing Goin' Home, or maybe a John McVie playing Black Magic Woman. I don't know, it's all kind of foggy. Most of those first songs were really bad! I have probably forgotten, accidentally, on purpose! Hmmm, I wonder where I put that old Waiting for Columbus CD by Little Feet.

The Old Folks Boogey -- "You know that you are over the hill, when your mind makes a promise that your body can't fill!"

[studiogirl]

Eight grade I switched to French Horn. Fist song was likely something like the Merry Widow's Waltz or Santa Lucia -- very foggy.

Oh, too bad you didn't learn "The Lonely Surfer" (Jack Nitsche)...had a GREAT French Horn!!! One of my most favorite songs ever. (Has a great bass line, too!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xPAWRLQWF4

[pocomann]

Eight grade I switched to French Horn. Fist song was likely something like the Merry Widow's Waltz or Santa Lucia -- very foggy.

Oh, too bad you didn't learn "The Lonely Surfer" (Jack Nitsche)...had a GREAT French Horn!!! One of my most favorite songs ever. (Has a great bass line, too!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xPAWRLQWF4

Thank you studiogirl! I had not heard that tune before -- very nice indeed! Did you know that the late great John Entwistle of Who played the bass and French Horn?
I actually studied French Horn in Germany and in Utah as a music major. But I was a wimp -- didn't like being a "starving musician" so I got into consumer electronics instead.

Have you heard the Hellecasters?